How to Replace the Toyota Celica Brake Assembly

Toyota Celica vehicles that were built after 1994 came equipped with both front and rear brake pads. The brake pads are designed to stop the car by applying friction to the brake rotors. The pads are compressed to the brake rotors by the brake caliper when the brake pedal is applied, and the friction of the pads against the sides of the rotors is what stops the wheels from turning. You should change the brake pads before the pad thickness reaches one-eighth of an inch. If the pad thickness reaches less than one-eighth of an inch, it can damage the rotors.

Instructions

1

Park the Toyota Celica on a level area and engage the parking brake. Shut the motor off.

2

Loosen each of the lug nuts from both front wheels about one-quarter of a turn with a tire tool.

3

Slide the jack under the front end of the Toyota Celica and position the jack under the cross member below the engine. Jack the front of the car up high enough for the jack stands. Place the jack stands under the proper front jacking points. Lower the car onto the stands and leave the jack in place.

4

Remove all of the lug nuts from the front wheels with the tire tool. Pull the wheels off and place them flat down near the front of the car.

5

Move to the driver side wheel well and locate the brake caliper that is mounted over the side of the brake rotor. Loosen and remove the two upper and lower metric mounting bolts from the back of the brake caliper with a ratchet and a socket. Pull the bolts out and place them in a safe area.

6

Slide the end of a flat head screwdriver between the brake rotor and the outboard brake pad. Pry the outboard brake pad toward the caliper cylinder until the caliper is loose enough to remove from the rotor.

7

Slide the brake caliper off of the brake rotor and hang it to one of the suspension components behind the wheel hub assembly with a piece of rope.

8

Pull the inboard brake pad out of the brake caliper. Slide the c-clamp around the back of the brake caliper and around the outboard brake pad. Slowly compress the outboard brake pad against the caliper cylinder by turning the c-clamp clockwise. Once that the caliper cylinder is fully compressed, remove the c-clamp and the outboard brake pad from the caliper.

9

Slide the two new brake pads into the retaining clips inside of the brake caliper. Inspect the front and back of the brake rotor for damage such as grooving and wear. If the damage is excessive, replace the brake rotor with a new one. If the damage is minimal, have the rotor machine-turned by a machine shop or an auto repair shop. If there is no damage, then use the same brake rotor.

10

Un-hang the brake caliper from the suspension and remove the rope. Slide the caliper back over the brake rotor and screw the two mounting bolts back into the back of the caliper. Tighten the bolts with the ratchet and socket. Slide the wheels onto the wheel hub and screw the lug nuts on tight.

11

Move to the other three wheel hub assemblies and repeat the same brake pad replacement process as outlined in the previous steps. Once all of the brake pads have been replaced, make sure that all of the tires are tightly secured by the lug nuts. Jack the Celica back up and remove the stands. Lower the car to the ground and remove the jack.

12

Finish torquing the lug nuts down tight with the tire tool. Crank the engine and push the brake pedal in and out a few times to set the new brake pads to the proper distance from each side of the brake rotors. Turn the engine off and test drive the Toyota Celica in a safe area to make sure that the new brakes are working properly.